This invention pertains to the field of delivering therapeutic and other agents to cells. Genes, polypeptides, and other molecules are among the agents that can be delivered using the compounds and methods of the invention. The cells can be present individually or as a biological tissue or organ.
Delivery of a compound into a cell is a first critical step for many diagnostic and therapeutic processes. Gene therapy, for example, is a highly promising tool for therapeutic and other uses that requires delivery of a nucleic acid to a cell. For example, distinct approaches have been developed to treat neoplasms based on gene transfer methods. Methods have been developed to correct specific lesions at defined genetic loci which give rise to neoplastic transformation and progression (Spandidos et al., Anticancer Res. 10:1543-1554 (1990); Banerjee et al., Cancer Res. 52:6297-6304 (1992)). Overexpression of dominant oncogenes may be addressed using techniques to inhibit the transforming gene or gene product. Loss of tumor suppressor gene function may be approached using methods to reconstitute wild-type tumor suppressor gene function (Goodrich et al., Cancer Res. 52:1968-1973 (1992)). Besides these methods to achieve mutation compensation, genetic techniques have been developed to specifically and selectively eradicate tumor cells. These approaches of molecular chemotherapy rely on specific expression of toxin genes in neoplastic cells (Abe et al., Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 203:354-359 (1993)). Finally, gene transfer methods have been used to achieve antitumor immunization. These methods of genetic immunopotentiation use techniques of genetic immunoregulation to enhance immune recognition of tumors. Consequently, a variety of distinct approaches have been developed to accomplish gene therapy of cancer.
A high incidence of mutations has been observed in tumor suppressor genes, such as p53 and RB, in the case of carcinoma of the bladder (Fujimoto et al., Cancer Res. 52:1393-1398 (1992); Cairns et al., Oncogene 6:2305-2309 (1991)). For such genetic lesions of tumor suppressor genes, reversion of the neoplastic phenotype can be demonstrated with replacement of the corresponding wild-type tumor suppressor gene (Spandidos, Id.; Banerjee, Id.).
Carcinoma of the bladder represents a significant source of morbidity and mortality. Bladder cancer ranks 10th in males and 12th in females in cancer related mortality (Cancer Facts and Figures, Amer. Can. Soc. 5:11 (1995)). Therapies available for the treatment of bladder cancer include adjuvant chemotherapy or immunotherapy, transurethral resection of superficial disease, radical cystectomy or radiotherapy which is often combined with systemic chemotherapy. Despite these therapeutic options, overall survival has not changed appreciably. (Id.) Thus, new therapeutic modalities must be developed for the treatment of bladder cancer.
Gene therapy strategies have been developed as an alternative therapeutic approach (See for example, Brewster et al., Eur Urol 25:177-182 (1994); Takahashi et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 88: 5257-5261 (1991); Rosenberg, S A, J. Clin Oncol. 10:180-199 (1992)). Successful treatment of cancer and other conditions in a human or other animal can depend upon an adequate amount of a therapeutic agent entering the cells, and upon a large enough proportion of target cells taking up the therapeutic agent.
Many other therapeutics and other modulating agents are polypeptides or, for example, small molecules. Again, the amount of the agent that reaches a target cell population can have a great impact on the efficacy of treatment. Therefore, a need exists for compounds and methods that can enhance the amount of an agent that is delivered to a cell or a population of cells.
The present invention fulfils this and other needs.